Status Update: 930 North Rush

It’s hard to tell from this CrappyCameraPhone™ picture, but there’s a welder working on the steel beams that form the third floor of the new 930 North Rush Street. The former Gino’s East location, shut down by the city’s health department years ago, is finally being replaced by something.

It’s supposed to be upscale retail, of the sort that has fled the mallification of Michigan Avenue for the side streets. Last we read (in Crain’s) was that Varvatos, the men’s clothier, is going in that location.

We also hear that the remaining stores on that stretch of Walton Place may not be long for this world.

There’s a shoe repair shop and a subterranean jazz club frequently mentioned on WDCB. Someone from the club is telling people that in 2011 the brownstones between 930 and the brand new Walgreen’s may be demolished. To make way for what, we haven’t heard.

And apropos of nothing — Since we mentioned WDCB/Glen Ellyn, there’s good news for Chicago jazz fans. 90.9 is no longer the only jazz station in town. Clear Channel has moved the smooth jazz music formerly heard on Mega95.5 to WNUA-HD2/Chicago. It’s not much, but we’ll take whatever we can get.

Editor founded the Chicago Architecture Blog in 2003. He has degrees in journalism and communication, and spent 20 years as a professional broadcaster as a reporter, anchor, producer, and news director. He can be reached at editor@ChicagoArchitecture.info.